Rotary brush



Sept. 5, 1939.., c. E. ELsoN 2,172,195

ROTARY BRUSH Filed NY. 3, 1957A E155 315-4.: ZZ /5 -I4 v Z Patented Sept. 5, 1939 y -Nlrao sTATEs ao'rnar sansa om E. Elma, oakland, Application November 3, 1937, SeailNa 1725851 s Claims. (Crass- 2) This invention relates'to rotary brushes and is connected'by a dexible drive cable, generally particularly to brushes used in the cleaning of teeth.

It is an object of the invention to provide a power-driven brush oi' the type described which is characterized by simplicity, elcient operation and economy of 'manufacture a Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary toothbrush which. at all times during its l operation, is supplied with a constant flow of water.

A further object of the invention is to provide,

in drive mechanism for a toothbrush of the character referred to which is preferably uid i powered, a motor which, by the manipulation of simple mechanism incorporated therein, may be caused to quickly change the direction of rotaA tion of the motor and also of the toothbrush.

The invention possessesother objects andffea- 2o tures of advantage some of which, together with the foregoing, will be specifically set forth in the detailed description o! the preferred form of the invention hereunto annexed. It is to be understood that the invent-ion is not to be limited to the particular form thereof 4shown and described as various other embodiments thereof may be employed within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

K 3o Figure` l is a perspective view of the rotary toothbrush mechanism of my invention connected for operation with a water-tap. Portions of the view are broken away,to conserve space in the drawing.

3s Figure 2 is a vertical sectional `view of the driving motor showing the position of the control shutter-valve when the movable rotor is rotating in a counter-clockwise direction. The plane in which the view is taken is indicated by the line 2--2 of Figure 4.

`Figure 3 is a view identical with Figure 2 except that the control shutter-valve is shown iny the lposition it occupies when themovable rotor is rotating in a. clockwise direction.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the driving motor. taken is indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view, partly in side elevation and -partlyin vertical section, of the rotary brush.` Figure v6 is a perspective view, to a reduced L scale, 4of the shutter valve.

In detail, the apparatus of invention com-v prises a rotary brush, generally indicated by the numeral4 6, which may be held in, and manipulated by, the hand of the user. 'The brush The plane` in which the view isv indicated by the numeralv l, with a source of rotative power, preferably the uid actuated motor generally indicated by the vreference numeral d. A y6 The motor d comprises a hollow casing 9 having a circular recess which is closed, vto provide a chamber within the casing, by a cover plate i2 secured to the easing by a plurality of screws i3. Projecting from the top of the casing l0 is a hub i6. centrally apertured to provide a fluid inlet. it opening into the chamber within the cas-- ing, and diametrically opposite the hub I4 is provided a hub il also centrally apertured to provide an outlet passage i8 through which fluid adl5 mitted through the inlet opening I6 may leave the chamber. The hub I4 is provided with a counterbore i9 in which is seated a soft rubber annulus 2|, the latter being retained in the counterbore by the overlying flange 22 of a cap 20 23,which is threadedly engaged with the hub I4. The'structure associated with the hub I4 provides means whereby the motor 8 may be detachably connected to a source of fluid under pressure here indicated as one of the water taps 25 24 of a wash basin 26. The connection is effected by forclngthe spout 21 of the tap into the openlng of the rubber annulus 2| wherein it will be frictionally held until deliberately released. The operating position of the motor is shown in Figure 1 with the hub I1 pointing downwardly so that fluid ldischarged through the opening I8 thereof will be directed toward the drain opening at the bottom of the basin 26.4

face is slightly less in radius than the periphery of the casing recess so that the shutter-valve may freely rotate in the recess. An arcuate slot 33, formed in the disk 3|, engages a pin 34 xed 45 in the cover plate I2 so that the rotary movement of the shutter-valve willl be limited.

Extending outwardly from the wall 36 of the casing is a boss Il which is centrally bored to provide a journal for the shank 38 of a rotor com- 5o prising a hollow hub 39 vhaving a plurality of radial vanes 4| extending outwardly therefrom and terminating slightly short of the inner vsurface of vthe shutter-valve wings 32. The rotor is thus mounted for free rotation within the 55 shutter-valve. To prevent axial movement of the rotor with respect to the casing, the shank 38 is provided with an axial bore part of which is threaded to receive a screw d2 which serves to hold a thrust washer d3 against the outer end of the boss 31. Y

Fixed in the inner bore of the shank 29 of the shutter-valve is one end of a closely wound coil spring casing M which forms part of the flexible drive cable l, the opposite end of which terminates, and is secured, in a sleeve i5 fixed in one end of a bore i6 provided in the handle d] of the brush 6. A sheath 58 of rubber tubing surrounds the casing Ml and', at its respective ends, telescopes over the boss 28 and a portion of the sleeve d8. A drive shaft 49', which is the usual 4wire woundflexible shaft found generally in flexible drives and remote'control apparatus, is provided within the casing and is secured, at its respective ends, in the` central bore of the rotor shank 38 and in a plug 5I which is xed in the end of a tube 52 journaled in the bore 53 which extends through the handle M. In the opposite end of the tube 52 is secured both ends of a continuous pipe 5d which is doubled upon itself in the shape of a hairpin and which serves as the spindle of the brush. The brush is formed by placing bristles 5B between the parallel sections of the pipe .and twisting the latter so that they are disposed spirally about the axis of rotation of the sleeve 52. This pinches the bristles between the pipe sections and securely holds the former in place, they being then trimmed to provide the cylindrical brush shown in Figures 1 and 5.

It will be seen that since the rotor of the motor 8 and the tube 52, which is part of the 'brush spindle, are connected together by the drive shaft dll, rotation of the rotor will be transmitted through the drive shaft tol the brush with the result that the latter will revolve in unison with the rotor. It will also be seen that the shank 29 of the shutter-valve is connected by the casing M with the brush handle d1, consequently rotary motion of the handle, which may be produced by the user rolling the latter between his thumb and n'gers, will cause the shutter-valve to be moved from one limit of its motion to the other. This will position one of the Wings 32, as is'shown in Figure 2, below a portion of the inlet opening i6 to the right thereof which causes the water entering the opening to be diverted to pass through the motor in the direction of the arrows 51, thus causing the rotor to revolve'in. a counter-clockwise direction. Counter-rotation of the handle, by the operator, to its opposite extreme of movement will cause the wing 32 which overlies the inlet opening in Figure 2 to move toward the right and be replaced by the other Wing which will move into the' position shown in Figure 3 wherein the left hand portion of the inlet opening is covered thus diverting` the incoming uid through the motor inthe direction of the arrows 58. This causes a reversal of the rotor to clockwise rotation. 4It will bev seen therefore that the direction of rotation of the brush 6 may be selectively varied bythe simple expedient of rotating the brush handle. This dispenses with the necessity of the user having to reach for and actuate the reverse mechanism in the motor.

Means ispro'vided forsupplying a flow of water to the brush. In the hub 39 of the rotor, between one pair or more of the vanes 4|, is provided an aperture 59 which permits some of vthe water which impinges against the `vanes to enter the chamber 6l within the hub from whence-it will zthel brush is `of prime importance.

" the bore 46 of the handle 41. From the handle bore it may pass into the tube 52 `through apertures 62 provided in the latter, thence into the pipes 54 and then through discharge openings 63 provided in the portion of the brush spindle carrying the bristles. Thus a constant flow of water is supplied to the brush whenever the motor 8 is operating.

The provisionof a reversible motor to operate Most of the powered toothbrushes, of which I am aware, were designed for uni-directional rotation. Let us consider the operation of one of these devices. Suppose it is desired' to brush the teeth ,of the right lower jaw. The rotation of the brush should be such that the bristles will move over the teeth from the gum'line toward the top of theteeth.,

Idesirable since the brush has. a tendency to drive food particles downwardly between the gums and teeth and' will, invariably, cause laceration of the gums which invites infection in the mouth. The toothbrush of my invention overcomes this,diiii cutly by being easily and quickly reversible at the will of the user by the simple motion of rotating the brush handle'. 1

The apparatus of my invention described above is characterized by simplicity and ease of manufacture and assembly,- the various parts thereof lending themselves particularly well to mass production thereby permitting the cost thereof ,to be maintained at a very economical figure.

I claim: 1. A device of the character described comprlsing, in combination, a hollow housing havf ing an inlet opening and an outlet opening, means in said inlet opening for connecting a duct through which fluid may flow into said housing, a rotor journaled in said housing to be rotated by the uid owing through the latter,

-movable means in said housing for directing therethrough said uid in various paths past said rotor to effect reversal of rotation of the rotor, a tubular casing secured at one end to and for rotation with said iiuid directing means and at lthe other end being provided with a handle, a

shaft within said casing, said shaftbeing, at one end, secured to and rotatable with said rotor and being provided, at the other end, with a spindle journaled in said handle, and means v'to be rotated carried by said spindle. v

2. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, a hollow housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, means in said inlet opening for connecting-a duct vthrough which iiuid may flow into said housing,

a. rotor journaled in said housing to be rotated by the fluid flowing through the latter, movable means in said housing for directing therethrough said fluid in various paths' past said rotor to effect reversal of rotation of the rotor, a tubular casing secured at one end toAand for rotation with said uid directing means and at the other end being provided with a handle, a shaft within said casing, said shaft being, at one end, secured to and rotatable with said rotor and being provided, at the other end, with a Aspindle journaled A15 insaid handle, means functioning in the presence of fluid carried by said spindle, ,and means for directing :duid from said housing to said spindlecarried means. 1

3. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, a hollow housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, means in said inlet opening for connecting a duct through which fluid may flow into said housing, a rotor journaled in said, housing to be rotated by the fluid flowing through the latter, a shuttervalve comprising a disk, rotatably mounted in said housing concentrically with said rotor, having a pair of arcuate wings overlying portions of the periphery of said rotor, said wings being movable into diierent positions interposed between said rotor and said inlet opening, a tubular casing secured at one end to and for rotation with said shutter-valve disk and at the other end being provided with a handle, a shaft within said casing, said shaft being, at one' end, secured to and rotatable with said rotor and being provided, at the other end, witha spindle journaled in said handle, and means to be rotated carried by said spindle.

4. A device of the character described comprising, in combination. a hollow housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, means in said inlet opening for connecting a duct through which fluid may` flow into said housing, a rotor journaled in said housing to be rotated by the fluid flowing through the latter, a shutter-valve comprising a disk, rotatably mounted in said housing; concentrically with said rotor, having a pair of arcuate wings overlying portions of the periphery of, said rotorsaidwlngs being movable intoy diierent positions interposed between said rotor and said inlet opening, means for lim- `iting the movement of said shutter-valve to es- 5. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, a hollow housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, means .in said `inlet opening far connecting a duct through which iluid may flow into said housing, a rotor journaled in said housing to be rotated by the iluid flowing through the latter, a shutter-valve-comprisinga disk, rotatably mounted in said housing concentricallyiwith said rotor, having a pair of arcuate Wings overlying portions of the periphery of said rotor, and an arcuate slot therein, a pin secured in said housing and entering said slot for limiting the movement of said disk, said wings beingy movable into different positions interposed between said rotor and said inlet opening, a tubular casing secured at one end to and ,for rotation with said shutter-valve disk and at the other end being provided with a handle, a shaft within said casing, said shaft being, at one end, secured to and rotatable with said rotor and being provided, at the other end, with a spindle journaled in said handle, and means to be rotated carried by said spindle.

6. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, a rotatable handle, a relatively rotatable spindle journaled in said' handle, means to bev rotated carried by said CARL E. `ELSON. 

